Worthington Pre-School

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children confidently enter this pre-school. They are warmly welcomed by staff who show how well they know the children and their families. For example, they talk to children about their new siblings and how they feel about being the older sibling. Parents and families are invited to attend settling-in sessions and are welcome to stay as long as is necessary to ensure their children are happy. Staff use these extensive settling-in sessions to build relationships with parents and ensure they have key information to provide continuity in children's care and learning. They use this information to support children to develop positive attachments with them, which supports children to feel safe and secure.

Staff offer children lots of praise and reassurance. This builds children's confidence and self-esteem. Children demonstrate positive attitudes to learning and happily try out new things. For example, children mix water with the sand, as it is too dry to build sand castles, and persevere in their hunt for shells in the sand. Children giggle and laugh as they find different types of shells, which encourages them to keep on trying and not to give up. Staff interact with the children to develop children's resilience and create a can-do attitude to learning.

What does the early years setting do well and what does it need to do better?

• The staff have created a well-sequenced curriculum that supports all children in the setting. They have a clear vision for what they want children to achieve. Staff strive to ensure that children develop a love of learning and become confident to explore their own interests. They plan activities taking each child's needs into consideration. However, occasionally, staff do not fully use their interactions with children to consistently extend children's learning. For example, as children make pretend birthday cakes for their friends, staff take over and count the candles.
• Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and who speak English as an additional language are well supported to make good progress. Staff create a learning environment that supports their needs. For example, children develop their ability to concentrate for long periods of time as they explore a variety of sensory play opportunities. Staff use and display words from children's home language to support their understanding of English. The staff team works closely with outside agencies and parents to ensure that children receive the best support. Funding is used effectively, tailored to the needs of the children. The staff team has provided some children with specific learning resources.
• Staff provide children with an environment that is rich with language. Young children enjoy listening to familiar stories. Staff model language as they use factual books about different animals. They provide children with clear information and recall previous experiences to make facts easy for children to understand. Staff provide children with a narrative as they play and ask why things have happened. However, at times, staff do not give children time to respond or use vocabulary. For example, staff do not allow children time to explore and name the lavender, fruits and petals they are adding to water to make their own potions.
• Children's behaviour is very good. They cooperate with each other when they play, learn to be kind to each other and to take turns. Children take turns to build a tower with bricks and help each other rebuild it when it falls down. Staff use consistent routines, which help children know what to expect throughout the day.
• Children are provided with healthy snacks and nutritious meals cooked in the on-site school kitchen. Staff support children to independently use cutlery and pour their own drinks. Children learn about staying healthy by washing their hands before meals and learning to put their hands over their mouths when they cough. Staff explain to children that this will help to stop the spread of infection.
• Staff say that they feel highly valued and supported in their roles by the manager, committee and other colleagues. They feel listened to and able to raise any worries or concerns they may have. This contributes to staff feeling respected and the positive atmosphere in the pre-school.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• support staff to challenge and extend children's learning, to help children to achieve as much as they are able to
• enhance how staff develop their interactions with children, to allow children time to express their own thoughts and ideas.